BLOG
Price vs. Value
Price is a public matter — a negotiation between supply and demand. A thing’s price is set in competition. So the price of a car is determined by how much some people want it, how much they are willing to pay, and how ready the manufacturer is to sell. It’s a public activity: lots of people are involved in the process, but your voice is almost never important in setting the price.
Value, on the other hand, is a personal, ethical and aesthetic judgment — assigned finally by individuals, and founded on their perceptiveness, wisdom and character.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Delivering Quality Work
There's no such thing as objectively good work. It's only good according to how well it fills a need. That theme permeates your drive to deliver quality work, and it's your client who determines that your work is quality. Here are some ways to not only do the work well, but to help them see that the work was done well. I take steps that follow the old saying tell them what you're going to do, then do it, then tell them what you just did. Or, in other words, confirm the task, deliver the goods, and review what happened.
Let's start with confirmation. It's not just a one time thing. You'll have to keep asserting your understanding throughout the project. Whenever you get new information from the client, confirm not only what it is, but how it will be incorporated into the project, and when they will see the results.
Then comes the second step which is the biggest: deliver the work. But there's more to it than that. The delivery has to fit their expectations according to the six traditional questions:
- Who?
- What?
- Why?
- When?
- Where?
- how?
First is who. Are you delivering the work to the right person? If you're not sure, confirm it. Next is what. Are you delivering what they asked for? This should be spelled out in your agreement. Then is why. Aside form what's in the agreement, does the product satisfy the reason you were hired in the first place? Is anything else needed to of your work truly useful? The questions of where, how, and when should also be answered in the agreement. Do they want a printed copy, a digital version, both, or something else? Does a physical object need to be delivered? The more your delivery matches their expectations, the more likely they will be satisfied and that they will look forward to hiring you again.
So that takes us through the confirm and deliver phases. Now for the review. Even if, all the work is done, you need to make sure that the client is satisfied. If they are, then give them the satisfaction of closure by letting them declare it done. If they're not satisfied, sincerely listen to their concerns and review the project's details. But let's assume that everything went well. While there's a good feeling between you, take this moment to ask them to memorialize that with an endorsement. That reminds them of how satisfied they were while also giving you a powerful tool for marketing your services to others.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Invoicing and Getting Paid
Every experienced freelancer has a story about a client who doesn't pay or who is slow to pay. It's going to happen to you too, but there are a few ways to make such experiences less frequent.
Your first line of defense is your contract. You should include clauses that specify not only the amount the client will pay you, but also how and when. Along with the payment clause, have clauses that spell out precisely what the client is getting from you. That lays out your argument before it happens by saying, "I did A, B, and C as the contract specified." Now it's time to hold up your end of the bargain. But clauses are only as good as their enforcement, so it's important you have text in the contract that explains what will happen if you're not paid. It needs to be realistic, actionable and legal; and you have to be prepared to go through with it. For example, a common clause in the United States says that both parties will seek mediation or arbitration before going to court and it spells out the conditions.
You might ultimately decide it's not the worth the trouble to follow through, but again, someone is eventually going to try to get away without paying, so be prepared. Finally, don't start the work until the contract is signed or until you have other legal proof of agreement. This is the part that can be hardest because you'll be eager to get going. But it's important psychologically that the client acknowledge that the project is actually going to happen and that they will have to go through with their responsibilities. There is another way to make sure you get paid, and that's to take payment in advance, either partially or in full. I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, requiring advance payment could hinder the sales process. You're essentially demanding that they trust you more than you trust them. On the other hand, they are going to have to pay you sometime, why not at the beginning. There is one situation where you should probably get payment upfront. If the job requires you to buy materials that are specific to the project or spend your own money to get it started, make sure the client covers those expenses first. In this area, you're just going to have to develop your own judgement and listen to the experiences of your colleagues.
So you have finished the work and now it's time to collect. As a reminder, you should present your client with an invoice. By the way, some accounting programs have their own invoicing function, including the popular QuickBooks. In any event, an invoice should include at least the following elements. Start with your contact information, then put the word INVOICE in big letters at the top of the page. That will help prevent it from being buried. Include a statement that you expect to be paid, how you should be paid and when the deadline for payment is. By the way, I'll often say something like, "In 45 days, but then I'll include the actual date." Then give a brief description of why you're getting paid. Here I'll often reference the agreement saying for example, In accordance with our contract of February the 15th. And of course, specify the amount you expect to be paid.
Some clients also like you to include an Invoice Number to help them track it in their records. And if it's for hourly work I'll paste my time sheet at the bottom of the page. Finally, send it off, make a note of the due date in your calendar and try to put it out of your mind. You can drive yourself crazy worrying whether someone is going to pay you, but remember until the deadline is passed there's nothing to be done. I found that most clients are pretty good about paying on time, especially after your first project together. Give them the benefit of the doubt, but then be prepared to act once the deadline is passed.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Professionals Get Paid
A big distinction between amateurs and professionals is that professionals get paid for what they do. The first thing you'll need is a bank account for your business. I recommend you get one that's separate from your personal account. That makes bookkeeping easier and keeps you from having to give personal banking information to clients.
I found the simplest way to receive payments in the United States is to simply ask clients to send you a paper check, then deposit that in the normal way. However, you should also be prepared for electronic payments, particularly if you have clients outside your home country. Beyond traditional banks, you can also get paid through online payment systems such as PayPal. I found it to be great for smaller clients, but because it's not a real bank I do recommend that you sweep money from your PayPal account into your business bank account as soon as the money becomes available.
Although PayPal gives people a way to pay you with credit cards it's not as robust or as cheap as Merchant Card Systems. Those let you accept credit cards directly without PayPal as a mediator. Again, your bank can probably offer you such services or can refer you to somebody who can.
Whatever payment option you use, I recommend that you write it into your contract. For example, I might say, "Payment by check drawn on a United States Bank must be received by such and such date, payable to Bobby Parker" But it's also wise to ask the client how they prefer to pay and then make sure it's possible. After all, the more ways they can pay, the faster you'll get paid.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Design Job & Career Salaries Infographic
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Setting Prices
One subject that provides freelancers a lot of anxiety is how to price their services. We want to make a good living, but are afraid of driving the market away by charging too much. So, What's the right amount?
Simply put, it's the area between charging too much and charging too little. Believe it or not, the bigger problem that freelancers face is that they charge too little. So, I'll talk about that first.
There are few reasons freelancers charge too little. If you're coming from a salary position where you did similar work, you might figure out your hourly rate there and charge private clients a similar amount. But that's way, way, way too low. First of all, you're not going to bill 40 hours a week. Another, You now have to cover expenses that your employer used to pay. One rule of thumb puts a typical freelance rate at two and a half times the hourly rate that freelancer would get with an employer. That's not always right, but the point is that your rates will be much higher per hour.
A second reason you might charge too little is that you can't believe someone would pay that much. But if you had never been on the buying side of the equation, you probably don't have a sense of how expensive good labor is. Talking to people in your professional network can help you figure out what the real market rates are. Or maybe you can believe someone would pay that much, but can't believe they would pay it to you. Assuming you have the skills that just basic insecurity talking. It's hard to get a sense of ones own value. Again, talk with colleagues and other professionals to determine what your realistic value is.
Some government bodies keep track of pay scales for various professions, and that gives you another data point.in the U.S., that's done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can search for details on your profession in their Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh.
The problem with charging too little isn't just financial. If you undercharge, prospective clients will see the low figure and suspect that you're just not very good. And established clients who have gotten used to your low rate will get spoiled wasting your time just because they can afford it. Higher rates make them value your time more leading to better work relationships and more fulfilling work. Now let's talk about charging too much. Basically, People buying your services have to justify the cost to themselves. It then comes down to a cost- benefit analysis for the buyer. The values are all pretty subjective, and they are not always easy for the buyer to measure in dollars, but they do perform such an analysis even if it's only in the back of their mind.\
If your rate is substantially higher than the cost of doing things internally or with another freelancer or not doing them at all, then you're out of a job. If you've gone through this whole process, you now have a reasonable understanding of what the market will bear. But there's one other factor; you have to make enough money to keep your business healthy. As with many other parts of freelancing, setting rates requires an understanding of your own value. It involves research and a certain amount of difficult soul-searching, but it can lead you to being able to charge your true value confidently and successfully.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
20 Factor Test – Independent Contractor or Employee?
The 20 factors used to evaluate right to control and the validity of independent contractor
classifications include:
- Level of instruction. If the company directs when, where, and how work is done, this control indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Amount of training. Requesting workers to undergo company-provided training suggests an employment relationship since the company is directing the methods by which work is accomplished.
- Degree of business integration. Workers whose services are integrated into business operations or significantly affect business success are likely to be considered employees.
- Extent of personal services. Companies that insist on a particular person performing the work assert a degree of control that suggests an employment relationship. In contrast, independent contractors typically are free to assign work to anyone.
- Control of assistants. If a company hires, supervises, and pays a worker's assistants, this control indicates a possible employment relationship. If the worker retains control over hiring, supervising, and paying helpers, this arrangement suggests an independent contractor relationship.
- Continuity of relationship. A continuous relationship between a company and a worker indicates a possible employment relationship. However, an independent contractor arrangement can involve an ongoing relationship for multiple, sequential projects.
- Flexibility of schedule. People whose hours or days of work are dictated by a company are apt to qualify as its employees.
- Demands for full-time work. Full-time work gives a company control over most of a person's time, which supports a finding of an employment relationship.
- Need for on-site services. Requiring someone to work on company premises—particularly if the work can be performed elsewhere—indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Sequence of work. If a company requires work to be performed in specific order or sequence, this control suggests an employment relationship.
- Requirements for reports. If a worker regularly must provide written or oral reports on the status of a project, this arrangement indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Method of payment. Hourly, weekly, or monthly pay schedules are characteristic of employment relationships, unless the payments simply are a convenient way of distributing a lump-sum fee. Payment on commission or project completion is more characteristic of independent contractor relationships.
- Payment of business or travel expenses. Independent contractors typically bear the cost of travel or business expenses, and most contractors set their fees high enough to cover these costs. Direct reimbursement of travel and other business costs by a company suggests an employment relationship.
- Provision of tools and materials. Workers who perform most of their work using company-provided equipment, tools, and materials are more likely to be considered employees. Work largely done using independently obtained supplies or tools supports an independent contractor finding.
- Investment in facilities. Independent contractors typically invest in and maintain their own work facilities. In contrast, most employees rely on their employer to provide work facilities.
- Realization of profit or loss. Workers who receive predetermined earnings and have little chance to realize significant profit or loss through their work generally are employees.
- Work for multiple companies. People who simultaneously provide services for several unrelated companies are likely to qualify as independent contractors. Availability to public. If a worker regularly makes services available to the general public, this supports an independent contractor determination.
- Control over discharge. A company's unilateral right to discharge a worker suggests an employment relationship. In contrast, a company's ability to terminate independent contractor relationships generally depends on contract terms.
- Right of termination. Most employees unilaterally can terminate their work for a company without liability. Independent contractors cannot terminate services without liability, except as allowed under their contracts.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
How Freelancing and Employment Differ
The I.R.S., that's the U.S. government's tax authority says that a freelancer is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done or how it will be done. In other words, the client could say, render my building and deliver the results as a Layered Photoshop File, and you'd still be considered a freelancer. But if the client says, "You must use 3D Studio MAX and do the work in our office between 9 AM and noon," then the I.R.S. is likely to consider you an employee rather than an independent contractor which would lead to differences in such things as tax withholding, benefits and so on. Such distinctions vary from country to country. In the U.S., the I.R.S. released some specifics that set forth 20 factors to separate employees from independent contractors. But on a day-to-day level, you'll be more affected by the practical differences. The big one is, if something needs doing, you're the one to do it, and there's nobody else to blame if it doesn't get done. You're now in charge of among other things, marketing, sales, accounting, project management, IT, and legal matters. You also have to keep yourself busy, and motivated. And if you expand by hiring other people, you have to become your own human resources department. If you think that's all daunting, well, you're right. Finally, we come to the personal differences between freelancing and employment. That is, how your mentality and lifestyle will change. For example, you're likely to find your work life creeping into your personal life and vice-versa. So it becomes much harder to judge whether you're being productive. And that can lead to some unexpected anxieties.
Freelance
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Render, Render, and Render Some More
Render, render, render. Don't be afraid to experiment. Play. Once you've learned to do something, don't keep doing it the same way over and over - get out of your comfort zone. Use what you can from others and believe in yourself. Don't render for grandma, don't render for the market - render to please yourself and you'll be OK.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
An Expert
“An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.”
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Digital Asset Library
Over the past couple decades, I have accumulated a large library of digital assets. These digital assets are the bread-n-butter to my digital workflow. A well organized stock pile of high quality 3D model and textures is fantastic, but they come with time. I remember spending hours looking for free 3D models to use in projects. Those days are long gone, but sometimes I need something that I just never needed before. My modeling skills are pretty high, but my time is relatively valuable, so off to the internet I go. Unlike a couple of decades ago, I have larger budgets, so a quick trip to Turbosquid usually does the trick, but before I go there, I always stop over at arcive3d.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Some say it takes 10,000 hours, or 10 years, to be a master of something. To create photo-real architectural renderings it takes a lot of hard work, and only a few have mastered the craft of photo-real architectural renderings. It takes a lot of screen time, more than you might imagine.
Some say that unless you are in the photo-real business nobody is noticing the subtleties that keep an image from being photo-real, but I would have to disagree. Humans have a keen sense of perception and can perceive even the smallest errors in what they are viewing, which makes them feel uncomfortable.
The uncanny valley is a hypothesis in the field of 3D computer animation which holds that when human replicas look and act almost, but not perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers.
One study conducted in 2009 examined the evolutionary mechanism behind the aversion associated with the uncanny valley. A group of five monkeys were shown three images: two different 3D monkey faces (realistic, unrealistic), and a real photo of a monkey's face. The monkeys' eye-gaze was used as a proxy for preference or aversion. Since the realistic 3D monkey face was looked at less than either the real photo, or the unrealistic 3D monkey face, this was interpreted as an indication that the monkey participants found the realistic 3D face aversive, or otherwise preferred the other two images. As one would expect with the uncanny valley, more realism can lead to less positive reactions, and this study demonstrated that neither human-specific cognitive processes, nor human culture explain the uncanny valley. In other words, this aversive reaction to realism can be said to be evolutionary in origin
Our clients don't understand what it takes to produce a photo-real rendering. But, they expect something that makes them feel comfortable when viewing it, and not something that seems off, or wrong. There is a wide gamut of work, which is being called photo-real, but unless it looks like a photo, it's not photo-real.
Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, then why not:
Leave Comment | Subscribe To This Blog | Email Me
Know Your Rights: Copyright 101 for Artists
How Much Do You Know About Copyright?
Artist Daily and the staff at Interweave have released a new free eBook Know Your Rights: Copyright 101 for Artists to help raise awareness of the issues surrounding copyright and give credit to the talented writers, designers, artists, photographers, and innovators who work with us to share their products and ideas with our readers.
This guide to the basics of copyright is for anyone and everyone: designers and makers, crafters, retailers, library staff, educators, and more.
Most people think of pirated movies or music when they hear about copyright violations, says Eunny Jang, editor ofInterweave Knits magazine. But we answer questions about copyright for crafters, artists, designers, and authors every day—copyright and other intellectual property issues are a big deal in the DIY marketplace, where the "I can do that!" spirit and respect for original, independent design and authorship need to coexist peacefully.
This free resource addresses topics such as:
- What is copyright?
- How does copyright work?
- What is copyright infringement?
- Plus other pressing topics from simple questions to more complex issues, such as:
- Can I resell a pattern/magazine/book/DVD I own? What about purchases of my digital downloads?
- Can I make and sell projects I found in a book or magazine?
- Where can I find more instructions for projects that I can make and sell?
- How can I tell if a work is in the public domain?
- Do I always retain copyright as the original author of a piece?
- What do I do if someone’s violating my copyright?
- And much more.
Ultimately, copyright is about protecting the creative process, ensuring that the creator of a work can benefit from that work," adds Jang.
Our goal at Interweave is to educate our consumers about what copyright is, and why it matters—and to give authors, artists, and designers everywhere the tools they need to protect their own rights so they can continue to create new works and share them with the public.
Interior Renderings and Illustrations
Chairs, tables, sofas, and other pieces usually figure so prominently that perfection in the rest of the rendering is negated if the furniture is not up to standard.
Illustrations may depict complete rooms, or they may be vignettes of home furnishings or products set against suggested backgrounds.
Interior decorators, designers, and architects use these renderings as presentation drawings and for submission to their clients. Some are reproduced in brochures.
Department and furniture stores, or their advertising agencies, include interior renderings in ads that merchandize houshold necessities.
If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.
My Thought on Working from Someone's Revit Model
You can hardly be an architectural illustrator, working in the industry today, without having to work with a Revit Architectural model. This is how I feel about the workflow...
In the mid 80's, I started creating architectural renderings for a living. By getting paid for my work, I guess you can say; I was a professional illustrator.
My architectural renderings were invariably done with black pen, on cold press paper. I spent a lot of time working through perspective, light, and shadow. Not until I got everything worked out on paper, with a blue pencil, did I commence drawing.
Preparing a perspective architectural rendering is a science... If anything is off perspective, your rendering will look wrong. It's amazing and has been a personal interest of the mind, how people perceive things. Our minds eye expects to see something, and if that something isn't what it expected to see, red flags are raised. If a person, in your architectural rendering is off scale, it will ruin your viewers experience. So, I can comfortably say, preparing a drawing was 1/2 the work.
Unless an architectural rendering you were working on is a personal project, your time is a premium, and time is money. When I got my first PC, I discovered a shortcut. With my PC, I was able to mass out primitives, work out perspective, and study light and shadow. What took many hours, on paper with pen, would only take minutes with the PC. Now, with the perspective worked out, I could spend more time on the creative part of my architectural renderings.
Fast forward couple decades, to the present time, and I see the same thing happening. Once the PC could handle more than primitives, I started rendering 100% digitally. I put down the pen and paper, picked up the mouse, and everything is now digital. So, instead of spending a lot of time working out perspective on paper, I found myself spending a lot if time trying to model from 2D architectural drawings. To get a good render digitally, you have to build a clean model. The process from 2D wasn't pretty. It served a purpose; I found all the construction errors on the drawing but at my expense. I was commissioned to illustrate, not to do a construct-ability study.
Over the past several years, I have been asked to take over a lot of Revit Architectural models. Although these models are not modeled nearly clean enough for a high quality render, I wasn't stuck with drawings that didn't work. Although I end up remodeling most of the models I get, there is still savings. Everything has been worked out, so I can spend a lot less time modeling through all the issues, and I can spend more time on the creative part, which is why I do what I do.
The 11th Hour Phone Call
There is no denying that our industry has changed. But, do you know what I don't miss? I don't miss the 11th hour phone call, from clients with that urgent project, that they needed tomorrow. The reason I don't have to deal with that is, most of them are no longer in business.
Presently, I have top shelf clients, who treasure quality workmanship. The quantity of work isn't there, but the high caliber projects are. The only way someone can think it takes hours to produce something stunning is, if they don't value what you do, anyway.
YOU CAN'T CUT CORNERS, specially with your visual deliveries. The best intent will be lost, if you don't have good graphical representation.
The testimonies I get, from returning clients, go like this:
Bobby, I got my last two clients partially because of the work you did for me on previous projects. But, both were upset because, when it came to their project, the quality just wasn't there.
So, the moral of this story is, only the good survive. The people who have dispensable income are the ones who value quality and craftsmen ship.
Autodesk Lays Off 7% Of Entire Staff
Digital design giant Autodesk laid off 7% of its workforce Thursday, sources tell Mashable.
That totals around 500 employees — including a number of 3D developers and several product managers.
Many of the layoffs were handled on a one-by-one basis throughout the day, following the company’s disappointing earnings report.
“Our own execution challenges, combined with an uneven global economy, resulted in disappointing revenue results for the quarter,” said Carl Bass, Autodesk president and CEO. “The changes better position Autodesk to meet the needs of our customers. We are focused on working through our internal challenges as rapidly as possible.”
Autodesk’s fiscal second-quarter profits fell 9.3%.
An Autodesk representative tell us that while the company eliminated close to 500 positions Thursday, it plans to create that many new jobs over the course of the year.
“As part of today’s announcement, Autodesk shared plans for a restructuring related to executing on the company’s strategy including its continuing shift to cloud and mobile computing, “ the company said in a statement.
”While Autodesk is reducing its overall staffing levels in the near-term, the company will continue to invest in key development areas. In addition, the company intends to consolidate certain leased facilities.”
The restructuring is focused primarily of the company’s shift to cloud and mobile computing.
“This action allows us to continue to invest in recruiting and hiring people who can bring Autodesk the skills and experience that are critical for achieving our mid and long-term goals, says Bass. “As part of the ongoing platform shift, it’s clear to us that design and engineering software will move to cloud and mobile platforms. Cloud and mobile has been a major investment area for Autodesk over the past couple of years and this restructuring will accelerate our progress as we intend to further invest in employees with expertise and skill sets essential to this transition.
“Additionally, this restructuring helps us reduce costs and streamline the organization as a continuation of the activities we began earlier this year.”
Architectural Drawings No Less Protectable Than Art
By ADAM KLASFELD
MANHATTAN (CN) - Architectural renderings enjoy the same copyright protection as Edward Hopper or Claude Monet's paintings of houses, the 2nd Circuit ruled, reviving a case that could hold major realtors accountable for infringement. Scholz Design says it produced drawings of three luxurious, tree-shaded houses, "Springvalley A," "Wethersfield B," and "Breckinridge A," which it registered in the Copyright Office in 1988 and 1989.
Although they were not detailed enough to serve as construction blueprints, the Connecticut-based company Sard Custom Homes used these renderings as a guide to build the homes, according to the court's summary.
Scholz says that Sard agreed it had no right to copy the images or use them for advertisements.
In October 2010, Scholz filed a lawsuit claiming that Sard broke this contract by sharing the pictures with Prudential Connecticut and Caldwell Banker, which put the images on their websites in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
U.S. District Judge Janet Arterton dismissed the case, finding that an architectural drawing must be able to serve as a blueprint for construction to be protectable.
A three-judge panel at 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected that proposed rule on Wednesday.
"We see no reason why Scholz's drawings depicting the appearance of houses it had designed should be treated differently from any other pictorial work for copyright purposes," Judge Robert Sack wrote for the panel. "Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper were famous for their paintings of houses, and Claude Monet for paintings of the Houses of Parliament and of Rouen Cathedral. None of these depictions of buildings were sufficiently detailed to guide construction of the buildings depicted, but that would surely not justify denying them copyright protection. If an exact copy was made by the defendant, as alleged, and as appears to be the case based on the evidence submitted with the complaint, that would appear to constitute infringement."
The panel chided the federal judge for stepping into the realms of art criticism, quoting Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes as saying, "[i]t would be a dangerous undertaking for persons trained only to the law to constitute themselves the final judges of the worth of pictorial illustrations."
According to the decision, the realtors also contend that they have the right to use the drawings under fair use, which allows for the publication of copyrighted images for news reporting, criticism, scholarship and research. The appellate court would not consider the issue at this time because the district judge did not factor that defense in her decision. The case will return to District of Connecticut, and the realtors will have to pay Scholz for the costs of appeal.
It Cost How Much?
Part of our job, as architectural illustrators, is to sell our work. A lot of illustrators charge an hourly fee, but to me, that doesn't make much sense. You'll find with that logic the more experience you have, the faster you can create your art, and then the less money you'll make. So, how do we charge for our service? If you are like me, and purchase high-end software with anual subscriptions, it is expensive to operate. Not only do we purchase software, we have to have reliable hardware to meet tight dealines.
Yesterday I was talking to a construction manager, we'll call him Bob, about costs for interior and exterior illustrations. The construction manager was preparing for a meeting with his potential client. The project was a design-bid-build, with design going to three local contractors for bid.
After talking with the architect, I found out that the homeowner is particularly concerned about the building process. The architect is passing his design along to the builder. The architect said, "The homeowner needs a builder that can take their hand through the process". Their life savings are being invested in their dream home based on a series of 2-D drawings. This doesn't make sense to the homeowner, and they are terribly concerned, that they were not able to make intelligent decisions.
Bob inquired about prices for illustrations, which might help him get the job. These would be illustrations the architect didn't provide. I studied the drawings, briefly while he was standing with me, and I gave him an approximate price. The room got quiet… I asked Bob how much it would cost to re-paint an average size room, or move a window a couple inches?
Let's say the homeowner opted not to invest in some superb illustrations and the first afternoon, in their new home, they can't watch TV in their new living room because the sunset is glaring on their screen. Easy fix: they go to the home improvement store and buy some terribly expensive window blinds to cover up the glare, and the beautiful view.
Several years ago I was part of the design process for a church built. I positioned the building on the site with a large cross shaped window, behind the pulpit, facing Southwest. My intents were as the congregation looks at the pastor, with the soft, diffused light from the cross behind him, that image would be captured in their mind-eye when they close their eyes in prayer. The point I was after was no different from looking at a lightbulb, closing your eyes, and still seeing the light of lightbulb. Once the design was done I was removed from the process, and the drawings went to the builder. At some point, the builder decided to mirror the building on the site, save some money, and guess what happened on that first Sunday morning service? The 10 AM sunrise blinded the congregation! Easy fix: get some darned dark tint, put on the glass, and problem solved.
These quick fixes are called value engineering. To fix something in the field, as it's being built, is frightfully expensive. Homeowners see their dream home for the first time as it's being built. Any changes to the design will be exceedingly costly, which could have been avoided, with some strong initial illustrations.
Every design warrants an illustration, in my opnion. If you want a happy client, make sure there isn't value engineering, which is very expensive. We have to sell our work based on its quality, and its value to the project.